California / An independent guide
Palo Alto,
with time
to look.
Stanford’s arcades. A table downtown. An afternoon by the marsh. Practical ideas for getting to know Palo Alto and the places around it.
Explore the guide
Find your way around.
Begin with one part of the city. Add the practical details, then leave some room in the day.
A day at Stanford
The Quad, Memorial Church, art museums, and campus walks.
02 / EXPLOREDowntown & California Avenue
University Avenue, California Avenue, food, film, and shopping.
03 / EXPLORELocal places & family days
Professorville, gardens, museums, playgrounds, and family outings.
04 / EXPLOREBaylands & the foothills
Wetland walks, the Dish, Arastradero, and Foothills Nature Preserve.
05 / EXPLOREA thoughtful Silicon Valley visit
Computing history, SLAC, company visitor spaces, and historic markers.
06 / PLANWhere to stay
Hotel areas, selected properties, and questions to ask before booking.
07 / PLANGetting here & planning well
Airports, Caltrain, shuttles, parking, timing, and accessibility.
08 / PLANFour ways to spend the day
A first visit, a family day, technology, and an outdoor half day.
THE SHORT EDITIONEverything to get started
A concise, single-page version with the essential stops and planning advice.
Before a fall or winter visit
Memorial Church is closed to sightseeing visitors through October 31, 2026. The Hoover Tower observation deck is closed through January 25, 2027. Check the official notices before planning either interior visit.
Your first visit
One campus.
One museum.
One good meal.
For a first day, Stanford and downtown make a natural pair. Keep them together and enjoy the space between the stops.
See the day plan- Begin at the Oval
Take the weekday shuttle or walk Palm Drive. Cross Memorial Court into the Main Quad.
- Spend time with the art
Choose Cantor or Anderson when open. Outdoor sculpture provides another way to explore.
- Come back to town
Walk University Avenue and its side streets. Stop for a late lunch, dinner, or a film.
About the guide
A resident’s
point of view.
This guide is based on the writing of Ardan Michael Blum, a Palo Alto resident since 2015. It brings together local history, places worth spending time, and the practical distinctions that can make a visit easier.
The multi-page edition organizes the original material by subject. The one-page edition keeps the essentials close at hand. The original diary guide remains available for the longer accounts and additional references.
It is independent and has no affiliation with or endorsement from the City of Palo Alto, Stanford University, or the other organizations mentioned.
Photography: Jawed Karim / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0); Finlay McWalter / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0). Photographs are cropped to fit; each image retains its stated license. Stanford photo: 2005. Downtown photo: 2004. Images illustrate the places and do not document current access or storefronts.
